Timipre Sylva: 2 Reasons APC May Still Lose to PDP in Bayelsa Governorship Election

• The APC has started making permutations to unseat Governor Duoye Diri in the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State
• Its candidate, Timipre Sylva, has been disqualified by a federal high court in Abuja because he had been sworn in twice as governor of the state and had governor the state for five years
• While the APC has appealed the case on the ground that the petitioner did not have the locus standi to institute the case, the development could lead to the loss of the party in the election

Yenagoa, Bayelsa - The Bayelsa State governorship election on November 11 is one of the off-season elections in Nigeria that was expected to be contested between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the leading opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC).

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Four years ago, David Lyon of the APC was disqualified after winning the 2019 election because of a forgery suit instituted against his deputy.

This was how the APC lost the state to Governor Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came third in the election.

Sylva is contesting to stop the second-term ambition of Diri in the forthcoming election in the state.

Bayelsa poll: APC taking the losing path as it did in 2019

However, a similar situation is about to repeat itself in the forthcoming election in the state, with the APC candidate already being disqualified by a federal high court sitting in Abuja.

On Monday, October 9, Justice Okorowo, in his ruling, said Sylva had been sworn in on two different occasions and has governed Bayelsa State for five years and, therefore, cannot be sworn in for the third time.

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The development may lead to the party losing again in two different ways even though the APC has already appeal the ruling on the ground that the petitioner did not have the locus standi to file the suit.

The two ways are explained below:

APC May lose people's confidence

Sylva and the APC may not be favoured in the poll as a result of the court judgment as the people may not vote for a candidate who has been reportedly disqualified in the election.

Thus, Governor Diri who won his first term election through the disqualification of the governor-elect, David Lyon, could earn the people's empathy and be re-elected.

Sylva may be removed if wins

The APC candidate, Sylva, who recently served as a minister of state for petroleum under the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, could be removed if elected as governor.

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The PDP and Governor Diri can challenge the outcome of the election in court if Sylva won the poll and could be removed on the same grounds.

Sylva appeals court ruling nullifying his candidacy in Bayelsa election

Legit.ng earlier reported that the APC governorship candidate in the forthcoming Bayelsa election, Timipre Sylva, has filed two applications before the Court of Appeal.

Sylva, who was disqualified by Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, is appealing the verdict of the lower court.

The former governor, in his second application, filed a stay of execution of the order until the hearing and determination of his application.

Source: Legit.ng